What’s an IPS? It’s another kind of LCD than the one you probably have as your computer monitor or laptop screen.
When LCD technology was first being marketed, TN technology won over IPS and other technologies as the perfect choice because it solved two lingering issues: affordability and speed. Yes, those infamous 2 ms LCD that you see everywhere are the TN displays.
However, TN has two big flaws. The first is the most obvious to any direct comparison, the view angles. Moving your head just slightly will result in drastic picture changes when looking at a TN display. Even worse, looking from under gives unpleasent flashy blacks and looking from the side makes the whole screen reflective. This isn’t a very accurate description of the effect, but if you have a Nintendo DS, you can experience it right now by playing a game like Brain Age, where the DS is turned on the side.
Why are those swivel-capable LCD displays so costy, because they handle view angles and different point of views marvelously; they’re IPS LCDs.
Secondly, TN displays are not true color. Yup, TN technology can only represent 6 bit per channel, or, 18 bit color. You may think that doesn’t make much difference with 24 bit, but think again, it’s exponential.
18 bit color means 262,144 colors.
24 bit color means 16,777,216 colors.
That’s quite the hopping difference. On a TN display, I could give you 64 values or Red, Green and Blue instead of 256 and you wouldn’t even notice the difference. That’s how important an IPS screen is, especially if you’re working in graphics.
Nevertheless, IPS LCDs are pricy, and for a tad lesser view angles, S-PVA panels can get you full color (not PVA). If you can afford one, and the research to actually find one amongst displays sold by Dell, it really is ideal.
If you’re buying a Mac, you’ll be happy to know that every external display, 17 inch MacBooks and 24 inch iMacs include an IPS display. However, the cheaper models don’t.
Oh, and by the way, if you’re buying a notebook PC, you’re out of luck, virtually none come with IPS displays. This is why color correction is not done on a laptop. Also, poor you if you bought the brand new 15 inch MacBook, yes, earlier iterations, like all of Apple’s line of computers, had IPS displays.
PS. If you know other laptops or affordable displays with IPS technology inside, drop a comment!
